Connecticut in the path of winter storm Luna: Snow, ice and freezing rain Monday into Tuesday

Torrington >> Torrington and Litchfield County were issued another winter weather advisory Sunday by the National Weather Service in Albany, that could potentially drop another four inches of snow and ice by Tuesday morning.

According to the National Weather Service, northern Connecticut could receive snow, freezing rain, freezing drizzle and sleet along with up to a tenth of an inch of ice. The winter advisory begins Monday at 10 a.m. and expires Tuesday at 7 a.m.

Winter storm Luna was being tracked nationally on Sunday night from the midwest into the northeastern states, including Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts. On weather.com, snow, sleet and freezing rain were predicted.

Weather forecasters said snow will develop Monday morning, then change to freezing rain during the afternoon and into the late evening.

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The snow storm is expected to end with freezing drizzle early Tuesday morning. Temperatures are also expected to climb from the teens into the low 30s by Tuesday.

Although the weather forecast says it could provide a messy morning commute, Torrington school students shouldn't get too excited and anticipate a snow day.

Superintendent Cheryl Klozcko said she has been keeping an eye on the weather with local meteorologist expert John Bagioni.

"I am expecting snow to spread into the Torrington area during the late morning hours and produce a coating to about an inch or so of snow before the precipitation changes to sleet and freezing rain later in the afternoon," said Bagioni in a written e-mail message. "The main concern is not the snow, but the fact that very cold road surfaces will become very slick due to freezing rain, as well as sidewalks, parking lots etc...Hopefully road treatments are done early enough to keep travel issues to a minimum."

"It's all timing and how the street department is going to attack the storm. I will work with our facilities director Dave Bascetta and we will determine if we will have an early closing," Klozcko said. "I do not think we are looking at a cancellation."

Klozcko also said when a snowstorm is expected, she and other superintendents in the area are on the phone with Bagioni at 5 a.m. determining what the right decision should be.

"It's a group consensus," Klozcko said.

However, Bagioni said, residents should take extra precautions.

"The most worrisome time might be during the period when the light snow is changing to freezing rain later in the afternoon and early evening hours," he said. "Residents should be very wary of icy travel on sidewalks, parking lots etc later in the day or Monday evening. This not a big storm but an ugly mix of light precipitation types."

According to WFSB Channel 3 Meteorologist Mike Cameron, Monday will provide a wintry mix of snow sleet and rain. However, accumulations are expected to reach an inch or less. As for Tuesday, Cameron predicts it will be mostly cloudy with an early icy mix changing to rain showers before tapering off by afternoon.